1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an endoscope insertion assistant probe and an endoscope apparatus to which the endoscope insertion assistant probe can be applied. More specifically, the present invention relates to an endoscope insertion assistant probe which is insertable inside a body cavity prior to an insertion of an insertion portion of an endoscope inside the body cavity for assistance of the insertion of the endoscope, and to an endoscope apparatus to which the endoscope insertion assistant probe can be applied.
2. Description of the Related Art
Conventionally, endoscopes are widely employed in the field of medicine. Since the endoscope has an elongated insertion portion which is insertable into a curved body cavity, an observation of an organ deep inside the body cavity can be carried out without making an incision into a body surface. In addition, when necessary, a treatment instrument can be inserted into a treatment instrument channel provided in the insertion portion of the endoscope, and various procedures and treatments can be carried out with the use of such treatment instrument.
When the conventional endoscope is employed for an observation and examination of an interior of a lower alimentary tract, the insertion portion of the endoscope is inserted from an anus into the curved body cavity, for example. During the examination, an operator of the endoscope cannot obtain information concerning a state of the inserted insertion portion of the endoscope inside the body cavity. For example, the operator cannot know in which portion of the body cavity a distal end portion of the insertion portion of the endoscope is located. Therefore, the operator needs to be highly trained in order to smoothly insert the insertion portion of the endoscope into the body cavity.
To alleviate such inconvenience, various proposals have conventionally been made on a system and a probe that allows for a detection of a shape of an inserted object, for example. The proposed system and the probe allow for detection and display of a shape of the insertion portion of the endoscope or the probe that is inserted into the body cavity. See JP-A No. 2002-345727 (KOKAI) and JP-A No. 2003-47586 (KOKAI), for example.
A conventional probe disclosed in JP-A No. 2002-345727 (KOKAI) allows for a detection of the shape of an inserted object. The probe includes plural coil units that are provided in the insertion portion of the endoscope and each generate or detect a magnetic field, and a signal line that is connected to the coil units. A detecting unit that is arranged outside receives signals sent from the coil units in the insertion portion through the signal line. The shape of the insertion portion at a time of insertion is displayed on a monitor of the detecting unit.
Another conventional probe disclosed in JP-A No. 2003-47586 (KOKAI) also allows for a detection of the shape of the inserted object. The probe is arranged inside a treatment instrument insertion channel that is formed inside the endoscope. The probe includes a magnetic field detecting element, for example. While the probe is arranged in the treatment instrument insertion channel of the endoscope, the insertion portion is inserted into the body cavity. Then, the shape of the insertion portion at the time of insertion is displayed on a monitor of a detecting unit.